7. Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club (Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando Resort) – Polynesia, Asia

You don’t normally think to yourself, “Wow, I really would love to go enjoy some food at a water park today…” If most theme park food is mediocre, the average water park food is nigh inedible for a foodie.

Universal completely tosses that perception out the window with Volcano Bay. Unfortunately, they then apparently grew cold feet.

The food selection at Universal Orlando’s Volcano Bay started off so staggeringly good, it actually left the offerings at Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure in the dust. The park’s main restaurant, The Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club offered a dazzling menu of Polynesian and Asian delights to leave Disney executives jealous. You would almost have to list off the whole menu to give scope to the excellent variety available in the burgers section alone, but a few of the menu highlights included a coconut curry chicken combo, jerked mahi sandwiches, a tandoori sandwich platter, Hawaiian ribs, tapioca guava pudding, and even a few sushi options. The Feasting Frog quick service stand also offered an excellent range of tacos and poke bowls.

Unfortunately, within the last year, it looks like Universal decided their dining venture was too ambitious and removed more than thirty items from the menu across the park. Sadly, this included some of the park's best international offerings, including the Hawaiian ribs, Jerk mahi sandwich, and guava tapioca pudding. Fortunately, the park still offers a great range of international food for a theme park, even if we are a mite cantankerous that they backpedaled on their previous stellar offerings. Fortunately, Universal still has one ace in the hole in the area of theme park dining.

8. Mythos (Universal Islands of Adventure) – Mediterranean

While Volcano Bay puts up a showing worthy of standing applause, there is one other restaurant at Universal Orlando Resort that we would be remiss not to mention in regards to international dining—Mythos, aka the crown gem of non-Disney theme park restaurants.

Mythos is a theme park restaurant so well done that it baffles the mind. While the restaurant definitely has its hit or miss moments during busy times, we could not rave enough about our experience there. It would be easy to disregard Mythos from the international food scene on the grounds that it is entirely based in the fantastical Lost Continent, a blended homage to Greek, Roman, and other cultural mythologies-- however, the best food at Mythos is firmly grounded in the realm of Mediterranean cuisine.

The theming at Mythos is so grand and mesmerizing that you just catch yourself staring at the details your whole time there. It’s wonder presented on a scale we usually expect from Disney, complete with beautiful sandstone carvings and relaxing water features. As far as the food, you cannot go wrong starting off with the tasty mezze platter, a spread of hummus, baba ganoush, marinated fennel, pita, and olives. While the entrees change from time to time, a few of the international options include a summer truffle risotto, a souvlaki couscous bowl, Moroccan lamb chops, yogurt marinated chicken, and a delicious Pacific flounder with olive tapenade.

When visiting Mythos, take advantage of the opportunity to try something new—venture away from the familiar and let your taste buds join the same party your eyes, ears, and nose will be enjoying during your visit to this excellent theme park restaurant.

Have you tried any of these? What other non-Disney US theme park restaurants serve international dining options that you would recommend?